Satisfy Your Needs The Right Way
In the course of time, Amnon son of David fell in love with Tamar, the beautiful sister of Absalom son of David. Amnon became so obsessed with his sister Tamar that he made himself ill. . . .
Now Amnon had an adviser named Jonadab . . . a very shrewd man. He asked Amnon, ‘’Why do you, the king’s son, look so haggard morning after morning? Won’t you tell me?’’ Amnon said to him, ‘’I’m in love with Tamar, my brother Absalom’s sister.’’
‘’Go to bed and pretend to be ill,’’ Jonadab said. ‘’When your father comes to see you, say to him, ‘I would like my sister Tamar to come and give me something to eat. Let her prepare food in my sight so I may watch her and then eat it from her hand.’ ‘’
. . . David sent word to Tamar at the palace; ‘’Go to the house of your brother Amnon and prepare some food for him.’’ So Tamar went to the house of her brother Amnon . . . She took some dough, kneaded it, made the bread in his sight and baked it. . . . But when she took it to him to eat, he grabbed her and said, ‘’Come to bed with me, my sister.’’
‘’No, my brother! . . . Don’t force me! . . . Don’t do this wicked thing. . . . Where could I get rid of my disgrace? And what about you? You will be like one of the wicked fools in Israel. Please speak to the king; he will not keep me from being married to you.’’ But he refused to listen to her, and since he was stronger than she, he raped her.
Then Amnon hated her with intense hatred. In fact, he hated her more than he had loved her. Amnon said to her, ‘’Get up and get out!’’ . . . He called his personal servant and said, ‘’Get this woman out of my sight and bolt the door after her.’’ 2 Samuel 13:1-17.
Now Amnon had an adviser named Jonadab . . . a very shrewd man. He asked Amnon, ‘’Why do you, the king’s son, look so haggard morning after morning? Won’t you tell me?’’ Amnon said to him, ‘’I’m in love with Tamar, my brother Absalom’s sister.’’
‘’Go to bed and pretend to be ill,’’ Jonadab said. ‘’When your father comes to see you, say to him, ‘I would like my sister Tamar to come and give me something to eat. Let her prepare food in my sight so I may watch her and then eat it from her hand.’ ‘’
. . . David sent word to Tamar at the palace; ‘’Go to the house of your brother Amnon and prepare some food for him.’’ So Tamar went to the house of her brother Amnon . . . She took some dough, kneaded it, made the bread in his sight and baked it. . . . But when she took it to him to eat, he grabbed her and said, ‘’Come to bed with me, my sister.’’
‘’No, my brother! . . . Don’t force me! . . . Don’t do this wicked thing. . . . Where could I get rid of my disgrace? And what about you? You will be like one of the wicked fools in Israel. Please speak to the king; he will not keep me from being married to you.’’ But he refused to listen to her, and since he was stronger than she, he raped her.
Then Amnon hated her with intense hatred. In fact, he hated her more than he had loved her. Amnon said to her, ‘’Get up and get out!’’ . . . He called his personal servant and said, ‘’Get this woman out of my sight and bolt the door after her.’’ 2 Samuel 13:1-17.
Don’t do this wicked thing . . . You will be like one of the wicked fools in Israel. Please speak to the king; he will not keep me from being married to you.’’ Tamar tried to reason with her brother Amnon to do things the right way so as to avoid shame and disgrace but he would not listen. He satisfied his desires the wrong way. He raped her and then he hated her vehemently. He was so disgusted with her that he asked her to ‘’Get up and get out.’’ He asked his personal servant to ‘’Get this woman out of my sight and bolt the door after her.’’ He treated her like dirt!
It never pays to satisfy our needs and desires the wrong way. The aftermath is always one of regret, hatred, animosity, and shame. When sin is satisfied, hatred and wreckage are the only things left behind. Even former ‘’partners in crime’’ can become fierce enemies. That is the nature of sin. We see this a lot when crimes and affairs become public and it gives birth to lies, cover-ups, and self-preservation. Former allies and partners become fierce opponents. We read about such things in the news all the time. The damage is immeasurable.
There is always the feeling of "Why did I allow myself to be used?" or ‘’How could I have been so stupid as to have blindly allowed my life to be destroyed?’’ or ‘’Did I really have to do that?’’. The reflection only leads to pain, regret, and anger at ‘’our partner in crime.’’ Hatred surfaces.
The genesis of every sin is the desire to satisfy our needs the wrong way outside of God’s prescribed provision. Discipline yourself and satisfy your needs the right way; it brings no regrets.
It never pays to satisfy our needs and desires the wrong way. The aftermath is always one of regret, hatred, animosity, and shame. When sin is satisfied, hatred and wreckage are the only things left behind. Even former ‘’partners in crime’’ can become fierce enemies. That is the nature of sin. We see this a lot when crimes and affairs become public and it gives birth to lies, cover-ups, and self-preservation. Former allies and partners become fierce opponents. We read about such things in the news all the time. The damage is immeasurable.
There is always the feeling of "Why did I allow myself to be used?" or ‘’How could I have been so stupid as to have blindly allowed my life to be destroyed?’’ or ‘’Did I really have to do that?’’. The reflection only leads to pain, regret, and anger at ‘’our partner in crime.’’ Hatred surfaces.
The genesis of every sin is the desire to satisfy our needs the wrong way outside of God’s prescribed provision. Discipline yourself and satisfy your needs the right way; it brings no regrets.
Prayer: Father, Your word declares that you will not withhold any good thing from me. Please help me to patiently wait upon you for the provision and satisfaction of every need in my life. Help me to discipline myself so as satisfy all my needs the right way. Amen.